The Influence of Satan in Our World Today- Wade Burleson -

Luke 22:1-13 (NASB)

Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. The chief priests and the scribes were seeking how they might put Him to death; for they were afraid of the people.

And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve. And he went away and discussed with the chief priests and officers how he might betray Him to them. They were glad and agreed to give him money. So he consented, and began seeking a good opportunity to betray Him to them apart from the crowd.

Then came the first day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. And Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, so that we may eat it.” They said to Him, “Where do You want us to prepare it?” And He said to them, “When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there.” And they left and found everything just as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover.

During the day before the evening of the last supper Jesus had with His disciples, we are told "Satan entered into Judas" (v. 3). Judas then went to the chief priests and Temple leaders to betray Jesus, and they agreed to give him money to turn in Jesus as a traitor to Rome. What role did Satan have in this?

The Scriptures indicate Satan has direct influence in the sinful activities of man. When it says in Luke 22:3 that "Satan entered into Judas," how are we to think about the will of man.

"The devil made me do it" does not absolve responsibility. "Christ was delivered (to die) by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, and you have taken Him, and with wicked hands have crucified and slain Him" (Acts 2:23).

Everyone without Christ is influenced by "the spirit of disobedience." "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind" (Ephesians 2:1-3 NAS).

The purpose of Satan in your life is to turn you from Kingdom things and keep you comfortable.Satan's three-fold purpose is:

To tempt us with being comfortable so that we refuse Kingdom service. The religious leaders were afraid (v. 2), but after Satan's intervention they were "glad" (v. 5).

To tempt us with feeling good so that we shrink at sacrifice. "They agreed to give him money…so he consented" (vs. 5-6).

To tempt us with doubting God's goodness so that we take control ourselves. Jesus has prepared His disciples for what was to occur; but Judas couldn't see the good.

Satan is called your "accuser" because he uses your past failures to prevent future successes. "Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of His Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down" (Revelation 12:10).Remember this:

Only God knows the future, and He will write it with you.

God used Satan's evil for the world's ultimate good.

"It was the will of the Lord to crush Him; he has put Him to grief" (Isaiah 53:10) "He has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).